The metaphor of the active substance in learning

Abstract

The text proposes linking extracurricular youth cultures with school learning. This idea is inspired by the book Who’s Afraid of Youth Cultures? by Sylvie Octobre (2019). The author highlights two youth practices: choosing cultural consumptions that they enjoy and that connect them with their peers, and engaging in "consumption-action," where young people creatively involve themselves in what they like (such as fanfiction, fanart, cosplay, etc.).
The proposal suggests understanding the cultural interests of students (movies, series, video games, books) to identify opportunities to link them with the curriculum. This may be easier in subjects like languages or art, but it is also possible in scientific subjects by using themes like science fiction to connect with curricular content.
The approach is based on Ausubel's meaningful learning theory and the "active substance of learning" concept, developed at the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos , where knowledge or skills are presented in a variety of motivating formats. Teachers are encouraged to experiment with these strategies to foster student interest.